Rim size 2004 F350 DRW

In the process of putting some new skins on the 'ol SD It's an '04 350 DRW SuperCab.

What I am REALLY wanting to do is pickup a set of rims so I can have some nice aggressive snow tires for plowing and winter and some decent tires for summer.

The question I have is can I squeeze the newer rims / tires in the wells of this truck without having to modify the sheet metal? I know with stock, there is a fair amount of room between the wheels and fenders. and frankly it's easier to locate newer rims. These are 16" could I say stuff a 19.5 in there without trashing my truck?

Any size combination of wheel and tire can be done as long as you stay within your MAX overall tire height.

I.e. you can go to a larger wheel (19.5) but you will have to find a smaller tire than is on the 17 so that it will still fit under the truck.

What size are you running right now??

Right now it is stock size 235/85/16. I am not much of a fan of a low pro tire. Just does not look right on an HD truck in my opinion. But there is a fair amount of room under that fender with the stocks on.

If you are looking at 19.5 they are not going to have as much to offer in aggressive tread, the 16's will give you more options.

Good point those are mostly highway. What I am looking for is another set of rims. believe it or not the 19's are more readily avail and cheaper.

I would really love to have summer and winter. Since I do plow with the truck I dont want to run studded snows in the summer (Not to mention it's illegal) but I really dont want to pay transfer fees for 6 tires twice a year.

You may be screwed on using newer factory wheels. I believe 04 was the last year that the dually maintained the same 8 on 170 bolt pattern as the SRW trucks. I'm almost positive it changed to the 8 on 200 in 05 along with the change to coil springs.

That said you'd be stuck with either another set of stock 16" wheels, or aftermarket, 16,17, or 19.5's. The 19.5's are the most expensive option by far, but they do look great on a dually. There are some aggressive tread patterns out there, but I'm not sure how well any of them would behave on the front. I've put 60K on a 19.5 equipped F550 and they really are love/hate. They follow grooves in the road and ride MUCH harsher than the LT tires. We ran a combo of both Michelin steer/drives (don't remember model anymore), and Conti HSR steers and HDR (aggrressive for a commercial tire) drives. The Conti's were $100 less per tire and the company bit. They sucked. The Michelins were just wore out, even, no issues. The truck ate the Conti's on the front for lunch, despite keeping up on rotations. The drives were more of the same, feathering, cupping, never ending trouble, and poor overall life. Hell I even gave Conti another chance on my mountain bike and those tires suck too.

I guess what I'm trying to get at, is are you really ready to deal with 19.5's? I've said I'd never put them on a pickup, but I do love the look, and I've considered it with this truck, but the only way would be if I ran Michelin tires all around. Last time we priced them 4 years ago at work they were $2200 for 6 mounted and balanced. Then add another $2200 for the wheels from American Force or Rickson. The cost doesn't add up for me personally.

An aftermarket 16 or 17 wheel and tire combo will be less annoying and much cheaper. Hell, they may be small, but you can get TONS of tires in the 235/85R16, I'd just look for another set of stock wheels.

"Right now it is stock size 235/85/16...The question I have is can I squeeze the newer rims / tires in the wells of this truck without having to modify the sheet metal? Could I say stuff a 19.5 in there without trashing my truck?" Glenn

The LT235/85R16 is 31.5" in diameter.
The LT225/75R19.5 is 32" in diameter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennemay

I am not much of a fan of a low pro tire.

By definition, the 19.5 tire that most closely matches your stock tire diameter is considered to be a Lo Pro tire in the commercial truck world. It also has a lower aspect ratio and less sidewall height than your current stock tire.

It will ride less comfortably, and cost more money to replace.

It will require you to run higher inflation pressures, because unlike 16" light truck tires, the sidewalls in the 19.5 have steel cording. If the 19.5 tire falls below a certain inflation pressure, it becomes dangerous to re-inflate to correct pressure, due to a potential zipper failure.

The tire rotates about 650 times per mile... per minute if traveling highway speeds. Lower than specified inflation pressures end up bending the steel sidewalls back and forth 650 times per mile/minute. Like bending a coke can back and forth, the metal fatigues and separates. When preloaded with 80 to 95 psi, that separation can be sudden, catastrophic, and even lethal.

Therefore, 19.5 tires require more diligent maintenance of air pressures, and an inflation cage when those pressures have not been maintained. Ford also recommends a minimum 6 foot air inflator extension to stand away from the sidewall of the tire when inflating. Ford only makes this recommendation for 19.5 tires on light trucks.

Finally, 19.5" tires and rims are retained with a shallower 15 degree bead taper. This shallower angle enables the stiffer 19.5 tire to be mounted to the rim, but it also is a second reason why the tire cannot be run under inflated. One cannot, and should not, "air down" 19.5 tires for additional traction.

By contrast, 16" tires and rims are retained with a steeper 5 degree bead taper. This steeper angle serves as a better "bead lock" that retains the tire on the rim more securely. Because the 16" tire does not have steel sidewalls, it is flexible enough to fit over the steeper 5 degree bead taper for mounting. A 16" tire can be aired down and reinflated for traction, and without the same risks associated with the 19.5 tire.

One more thing to think about. If you are finding 19.5" rims for less than wheels skins for 16" rims (very hard to imagine), or even less than 16" rims (surprising, but let's go with it), then I would be VERY WORRIED about the quality of the 19.5 rims you are finding.

Questions to ask about the 19.5" wheels:

1. What is the weight rating? (should be a minimum of 3,615 lbs or higher per rim)

2. What is the pressure rating? (should be 115 psi minimum)

3. If aluminum, are they Forged or Cast? (should be Forged)

4. Where are they made? (hmmmmmmm, no Chomment!)

Why the pressure as high as 115 psi? Because a 19.5 tire that will fit under your sheet metal will have two load ranges: Load Range F, which is 95 psi. and Load Range G, which is achieved at 110 psi. You want a rim capable of handling the air pressure requirements of the tires that may be fitted to it.

As far as where manufactured... even Alcoa has moved production for many of their dually wheels to China, so that may not be escapable. But what that also did was open the door for more knockoffs with less quality control.

There is a whole slew of pop up marketing companies with "American" in their names without one ounce of their product being produced here. They sell wheels on looks, and profit from the same subterfuge that shadowy factories overseas minced and mined out of the quality of the product.

With dual rear wheels, you've already got more tire capacity, with six 16" tires and wheels at Load Range E, than the GVWR and GAWRs of your chassis is rated to carry. My thoughts? I'd find a set of factory take off 16" rims for a winter tire set.

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